None Shall be Seated
by CynicalImortality
Summary: Zim has left Earth, seemingly for almost no discernable reason, leaving Dib to follow or claim it as a victory for Earth. Of course he's going to follow Zim but to what extent does his dedication go? (Rating may change as I write this.)
1. Chapter 1: Reason

Dib kicked Tak's ship with anger rivaling that of his own sister; having fail after fail after fail of trials he had had enough. Zim had left a week ago, meaning the distance he would have to make up grew with every passing second let alone day. Whilst Dib was cussing profusely under his breath from the pain in his foot, the garage door was thrown open by Gaz. Her shadow only emphasized how late he had been working, looming deeper into the space with the dying light of the sun setting.

"Dib, dinner, now." She pivoted and left, the door ajar in a silent echo of her command. Dib set down his tools, removing the torch mask first, and locked the garage behind him as he rushed to the back door. Gaz was at the table when he made his way over to the sink.

"Why do you keep working on that stupid ship?" Gaz uncharacteristically piped up, shocking Dib only for a moment; he was still thinking about final tests he could try and fix.

"Why do you care?" He really meant the question, turning from the towel he was drying his hands with to see his sister properly. She sat in silence, clearly choosing her next words carefully as Dadbot made his way over to make them… food.

"The noise messes up my focus." The reply lingered between them as Dib took his place next to the head of the table that sat empty. Dib couldn't reply in fear of Gaz whacking him, but the garage was not only detached from the house but sound proof because the neighbors used to complain about all the experiments' noises. So they sat in silence, refusing to drive a scalpel into the moment; since both were untrained in the science of emotional conversation.

"It's the last Friday of the month…" Gaz shifted her gaze from the beef on her plate to the dust replacing their father. Dib couldn't bare to do the same, lights sparking under the basement door were visible from where he was already. And from there they finished their meals and departed the kitchen separately; Dib to his room and Gaz to the couch.

Upon reaching his room Dib saw that night had finally snuffed out the sun. Well, more accurately he couldn't see. He gingerly let his hand roam on his bedroom wall until the light switch flicked up between his fingers; the sudden light caused Dib to cringe as he closed his door and made for his few lamps for a dimmer option. Once he had them on, he flicked off the main light, letting the softer wattage of light caress the corners of his room and leaving a few dark spots here and there. His corkboard by the computer was Dib's first destination from the light source, examining what notes and scraps of evidence he had. Not enough for a public release or even for the Swollen Eyeball but- speaking of the paranormal group, when was the last time he was in touch? Dib turned to face the computer, turning it on and clicking through a few files, folders, webpages and whatnots that he left open as a "maze-like ruse;" When he got to where he needed, the icon took over his screen for a few moments before revealing the network.

Dib muddled around, talked to some associates who actually believed the Zim endeavors, listened for updates of activity I his area and even neighboring areas. But most importantly he asked around for engineering tips for foreign technology, sadly most of the answers he had were people assuming he was talking about across the globe not across the stars.

"Ughhhh. I guess I'm still on my own here," the investigator muttered as the icon once again took his screen before returning to his normal web pages and other ridiculousness of that nature. Spinning the chair he ended up in, Dib faced the cork-board again. The most recent notes he added where from this morning, hypothesizes and questions about irken technology and Tak's ship as a 'custom' item from that range. Anger flared up I him, at what he couldn't decide out of the many things he had to be angry about; so he went with the easiest option.

"Stupid Zim, and G.I.R. and and Tak for having a custom ship. But mostly you ZIM for LEAVING." the cork-board shuttered as Dib his head while naming the objects of his hate, but lost momentum after he hit the corner of the board.

"Ghah!" Dib's own cry shook himself out of rage and into some twisted and toxic sense of self-pity. Cradling the shallow cut on his forehead, Dib slinked into the bathroom and cleaned it, making sure the bandage covered it. After checking that no one was in the hall, Dib returned to his room, flopping onto the bed with a soft 'oof.' He was too tired from today's work to do much more than sloppily kick off his boots, thud… thud, and wander off as the stars filled his window.

Why are you trying to chase him down anyway? It's better to just accept the victory anyway. Shaking his head, Dib tried to answer himself but, he didn't know why he was trying. Maybe it was because he wanted to destroy the alien himself, maybe it's an excuse to get out of this place, or to show his dad that he was right while also pleasing him with science, maybe, maybe… he just didn't know anymore.

You miss him. NO. Dib did not miss that little green and hot pink gremlin that changed everything. He was a menace and the world benefits from his absence…  
Without him, there's nothing definite down here anymore. You're just chasing leads, hopes, and not even the Swollen Eyeball has anything to top what you have to chase. Dib, sprawled on his back in his signature blue shirt (that he re-bought because he outgrew the old one) and trench coat, cowlick askew on the sheets (and somehow starting to grow what looks like another spike?) wondering, was he really going to go through with this?


	2. Chapter 2: Home

It's been another hard week, but it's finally done. Dib stood proudly over the ship, the engine a whisper instead of making metallic coughs; even Gaz when she kicked down the door for dinner, was slightly impressed before threatening Dib. Turning off the engine, Dib happily followed Gaz out the door and into the house, even the… food was tolerable. Nothing could tamper his success.

"Good evening children!" Professor Membrane said from the head of the table, taking Dib by surprise. "So, how was your month respectively? Next week is a start of the next page of the cale-" the tall echo of joy radiating off the scientist seemed to stop as he looked at the kitchen calendar. It was the first Friday of the month, he was a week off. "uh-!" He quickly rose from the table, leaving Gaz and Dib to watch him run down the basement steps and then back up to the table.

"I'm sorry that I'm a week late, it seems that my latest work had set forward my digital time-keeping devices!" Silence wrapped around the small 3/4s of the table. Dib couldn't believe it, his dad missed the most important day in the month for their family not because he didn't notice the time, but because the time itself was wrong…

"It's ok Dad, at least you made it to dinner." Gaz had a small smile on her face, her Game Slave out of sight with her attention on their dad. Dib didn't know if he wanted to either to share her small joy in that their father finally remembered to join them or anger for the fact that he missed it because a simple mistake. Something small in the back of his mind, made him forget to be angry at all; Dib wasn't going to be around for monthly family dinners for a while, not until he completed his mission.

"Hope you learned something from that experiment then," Dib let his face copy Gaz's smile, small yet genuine. Dinner forged on with conversation mostly between Gaz and their dad but light moments of Dib talking vaguely about his… project.

"That's good son that you're working on a what sounds like an astrophysics or just mechanical engineering project," Membrane patted Dib's head as the three began to clean up the table, "Maybe you can show it to me for feedback, or turn it in for a scholarship-"

"No!" Dib feared this would happen, he couldn't let his dad know why he was even working on this whole thing, but he needed an excuse fast. "It's a surprise! You'll see it when it's done!" Gaz's brow perked up at Dib's voice crack, making Dib sweat nervously because if she saw, his dad might too. A beat of silence passes, the Game Salve start up sound pounded into his ears like his own heart.

"Very well then son, I can't wait to see it then! Now, goodnight children, I have to get back to work, see you all on the next last Friday!" With that the basement door slammed shut, the two Membrane children only a yard or two apart.

"Close call," Gaz exhaled sharply in amusement, but her face contorted back to its apathetic expression Dib knew (and considering the rest of his life, loved), "you going to leave tonight?" This caught Dib off guard, why did she care? Gaz never cared when he went out (unless it was to fetch snacks).

"No…" the soon spaceborne (he would say airborne but that seemed wrong) boy turned to look at his sister fully. There she was, 16 and still sporting her maw-like hairstyle, Game Slave rested naturally in her hands covering the vague skull design on her dress… "I'll leave tomorrow," nodding, Dib finalized his decision, tomorrow maybe in the afternoon-

"Fine, after dinner." After dinner then.

The next day was lively yet only in the bubble that was Dib's own little world; he rushed about grabbing supplies and necessities for basic survival. By noon, having been up for 6 hours, Dib stopped for lunch. Gaz sat on the couch with a sandwich and Dib with his own was sprawled on the floor.

"You better call me every last Friday. You're not getting off easy." Gaz's voice was followed with a crunch of toast after the command. Her eyes pierced Dib's, her apathetic glare holding a hint of something Dib could only name with when he last felt it. Guilt flooded his mouth washing out any enjoyable taste of his sandwich; the crunch of lettuce almost a cry of pain for it between his teeth.

"I- I will. Promise." His cowlick swayed as Dib nodded his head, he truly meant it. As soon lunch had finished being eaten, crumbs transferred from anxiously sweaty palms to pants, Dib ran to the garage to tweak a few things. A communicator for long distances.

"Dib, I made dinner!" Gaz's foot hitting the door had become a familiar sound over the past days of toiling in the garage. The familiarity making it all the easier to realize that Gaz wasn't just calling him for dinner, she was calling him for dinner _she made_; he almost wanted to cry and give up on his nemesis, but, but he couldn't.

"Coming." Dib placed his tools away, Gaz silently waiting with the door leaning on her more than she it. With a few bags from earlier placed near the ship, Dib followed Gaz back to the house. Dadbot unseen as they sat down, Dib admired how his sister's culinary skills had improved since they were younger.

"This is good," a mouthful of mashed potatoes muffled the compliment, but it was not unheard. Gaz replied by biting down onto a fork of her own, copying Dib's poor manners with a muffled "thanks" of her own. A rare moment of childish nature returned to them, a smile forcing itself where it should be, but it didn't prevail because their mouths were stuffed with mashed potatoes.

Clinking dishes acted as the alarm reminding Dib that it was time. Slowly ascending the stairs to receive his last bag, only for him to turn at the doorway, looking for anything he may have missed. His notes no longer hogged the cork-board, his laptop's space on the desk was bare as well as the rest of it. The closet nearly empty because Dib never had anything he "might" wear. The room was hardly recognizable, hardly looked lived in, and to Dib that was depressing. So he closed the door and made his way back downstairs.

"Dib," Gaz stood at the back door of the house, fidgeting with her hands, "Good luck…"

"Thanks Gaz," Dib's nod in return felt empty, therefore he followed his instinct. The bag flopped to the ground, making room to grab Gaz for a hug. Both were shocked by the sentiment as it was foreign to their game of apathy, but neither let go until twin rivers of tears needed to be rubbed away. No other words were said as they separated, the hug conveying all they wanted to say.

Dib looked at the garage, the cool air of fall the last he may feel of Earth's elements for some time. A sense of determination fell on his shoulders, a weight of desire keeping him from turning back. He entered the work space, placing his last bag with the others and started the ship.


	3. Chapter 3: Sailor of the Star sea

Days sped by in space, Dib noting everything that he could see, sleep foreign to him until his body forced him to do so. His empty journal has a few pages already filled with scribbles and sketches of small planets he's passed. A rough path was programmed into the ship since he was able to convince the A.I. to find the echoes Zim's trail, albeit with more begging than Dib would care to admit.

"Why are we doing this again?" Tak's voice engulfed the small space; Dib was barely able to add more room for his lankier frame during his tampering. "Zim left Earth and that was the whole point, right?"

"While its great that Zim evacuated, the whole point was to expose the truth of aliens, him especially." Dib mindlessly answered the ship, it was the same answer he was giving himself. This was a mission to prove the paranormal as a real science to his dad, not some heat of the moment vengeance for Zim leaving him behind with no explanation of "inevitable doom." Tak's voice did not offer a scathing response which both worried and relieved Dib.

Days became a week or two, a small calendar hung on one of the cruiser's walls. No conversation has occurred since the A.I.'s prodding, leaving Dib to mutter to himself as he jotted notes or mused about improvements now that he knew how the custom Voot worked in action.

"So I went over my notes and your downloaded medical texts," Tak's voice startled Dib so much that he toppled from his chair. Scrambling to rise again, Dib tried to process the A.I.'s words.

"I'm sorry, what?" He couldn't.

"_So I went over my notes and your downloaded medical texts,_" the ship sarcastically repeated. "You're in denial."

"I'm sorry, what?" Dib glared at the ceiling, just picking a direction since the intelligence was everywhere. Denial about what? His resolve to settle a score, on the behalf of _humanity_, in what way was he in denial?

"You're harboring a personal grudge against Zim for this, or some emotion," The A.I. grumbled at Dib's glare, but the programmed personality knew he wouldn't do anything. "I don't care but you're being moody, and I hate it."

Dib stared blankly upward, taken aback by the claim. He didn't have something against Zim personally, just disappointment that he couldn't expose him. Just because the one constant in his life disappeared doesn't mean he's going to throw a fit. The one constant thing…

"NO!" Dib stomped his foot, pushing the idea that the A.I. was right, this wouldn't do.

"Fine grumpy, the stop complaining about him." And so Dib shut up and kept to himself for the next hour or so. Whenever he opened his mouth to complain he would shut it just as fast because it was about vaguely about Zim; he looked almost like a gulping fish at that point.

They lasted like this, Dib fuming and trying to put his skewed puzzle pieces together and the A.I. taunting him when he finished the puzzle wrong again. Hours passed and Dib took to hiding in his notebook; then closing the hardback cover and looking over his shoulder, Dib thought to check his food supply. Post opening the compartment to store the edibles, crunching some numbers over an "energy bar," then comparing it to initial inventory, Dib saw he needed to make a food stop.

Plopping back into the decent chair, Dib's calendar was only a full day away from his first call home. It's been almost a full month in space, Dib let his eyes fall from the gridded paper to the starry expanse.

"Closest food stop?" Dib called up to the A.I. in hopes of somewhere close. A disgruntled sigh and some clicking of typing was his response until a small GPS-esque map appeared on the windshield. With a small 'oh' from the pilot, the ship started off toward Foodcourtia; this would be Dib's first stop and _of course_ it would be one of the Irken Empire's planets (the GPS thing marked it as so).

"Quit grumbling, it's your species fault your food supplies can't be stretched out farther." Dib didn't know whether to be embarrassed by talking out loud or undignified on the behalf of his species, he decided a shameful silence as stars flew past. Hours quickly passed until Dib started noticing more and more ships, he was finally amongst other travelers and he was terrified in the best way.

"_Ugghhhhhhh_, just head over to that parking lot, the one with the occasionally flashing lights," Dib was shaken out of his excitement as Tak's voice told him where to park, following the directions the best he could. Landing was a little rough, but it was pretty good for his first time. Before he hopped out, Dib grabbed the money he had saved up over his entire life (a lot since he already had access to so many gadgets) to go change over and the temporary translator he made using the A.I.'s language data.

"Uh, hi," Dib tested the translator at a booth, one of many similar ones where money was being put in and equally out. "I'm here to change over-" the alien in the booth just pointed at the slot just below the glass, Dib got the idea pretty quick and inserted about forty dollars. The worker inside it examined the currency before pushing a ton of what was probably universal coinage. After struggling to get it in his backpack (not expecting to get tons of small golden coins) Dib nodded his thanks and scurried deeper into the planet.

Grease, foreign species, lights and more grease was all he could take in without being overwhelmed. Dib found it funny that despite his growth continuing at his age, he was taller compared to most; though some species where at least a third of his height taller. Encouraged by the familiarity of a mall food court, Dib looked through the crowd and saw a sign cut off by a taller species reading "-t Dogs!" and rushed toward it.

"Hi!" Dib waited through the lengthy line, the smell of food keeping him from leaving. He picked something random, what looked like mini hot dogs, and paid. The Irken serving him looked indifferent to his enthusiasm but Dib couldn't care less. Caring the disposable tray and eating the small food made it easier to go look around; once he finished, Dib refocused on finding foods that wouldn't expire in his ship before he could eat them. It wasn't until his backpack was full and his wonder expanded that he noticed an Irken, just above his waist in height and the Invader uniform collar. Dib was lying to himself when he thought "there's tons of Irkens here, why would Zim be out in the open?" and made his way over.

He was a few feet away when the Irken turned, Dib finally getting a full view, this wasn't Zim. He was a little chubbier and much more friendlier looking. They made eye contact and the invader awkwardly smiled, but a small distance behind him another Irken turned. Trying to play off looking at the other Irken, Dib raised his head to see him. Zim's resting glare of arrogance, the recognition and sudden mix of fear and anger on his face. Dib rushed past the first Invader who dodged out of his path in confusion; Zim gritted his teeth and ducked into a side path, Dib closing in on his rubbery heels.


	4. Chapter 4: Trails Ablaze

Zim's 'spooch pounded as the lights bounced of the Dib's lenses, he followed him into space. Somehow Zim felt a flare of pride that he had driven this human to complete devotion to his cause but then a mix of fear and anger that Zim was not exactly on the good end of this devotion. So he ran, it's what they did, the location was different and it was now Zim's turn to know the back alleyways of this planet.

The echoes of boots drove him to sprint farther into the alleyways, but Dib's legs were long and ears used to Zim's fleeing footsteps. Their advantages and disadvantages leveled out, equals. Zim couldn't help but smirk at the thought, this pathetic human outlier was his equal. But how long had they been fighting to adapt as such?

A sharp turn led Zim back to the parking garage, with a short flash he summoned his Voot and started takeoff. Dib's figure was shrinking but in horror Zim saw Tak's dreaded Voot appear on the teleportation pad for Dib to drive. Soon both Invader and Investigator were in space, the pink and off-purple backdropped by the stars that blurred from their speed.

"Stupid Dib-human! You'll never catch me!" A cackle bubbled out of Zim, adrenaline screaming through him like giant radioactive rubber pants! This past month (Zim had started running on human time after 3 years of it) had been… boring. But he needed supplies for his next plan. Zim knew he could have used Prisoner 777, stayed on his planet and just did the usual… but he needed to get out. Something about returning to space and escaping the weight of Earth's gravity was invigorating.

"ZIM!" A sudden voice breached his audio transmission, deeper than the childish tone he grew to hate but still the same aggression.

"DIB" Zim yelled back, his airflow being used for what it was best at. He forced the call to end, just to piss off the human, but he knew the stupid creature would just hack through again.

"Zim! I'll drag you back to Earth by your shorter antenna-" Zim cut the audio again. Though he felt embarrassed that the human knew of his shorter antenna, in his wounded pride he came up with a retort for the next time the human cut through the audio.

"Would you stop-"

"You're more likely to break your 'glasses' than to return me to the dirt ball!"

"I'd take that bet!"

"You'd have to catch me first!" Zim threw his ship to its highest speed, letting the already blurring expanse of space just smear in his vision. The audio transmission cut on its own from the distance and Zim started to settle down in his escape. And he began to think, which was a dangerous thing if you weren't Zim and nigh deadly if you were in his general area.

_If I could kill the Dib-thing out here in space-_ no, the idea of killing one of the top of his species would be a waste (it definitely didn't bring a sour taste in his mouth just because it was Dib). _Ok ok ok, if I lured him back to the Massive for capture and testing_ yes! That was it, he could capture the human and finally poke at his brain. This plan clearly would not fail, fool proof! If G.I.R. was here he'd cackle evilly with him (but luckily Zim thought to leave the chaos machine at home "to watch if the TV channel changed on its own").

Felling proud of his progress, Zim dropped all plans for his supplies and started upon a new plan to lure the Dib away into the clutches of the Irken Empire.

Dib's face was flushed with rage and exertion by the second time Zim cut him off. Their sudden chase and now high speed- oh. Apparently Zim could travel faster than that. That… was anti-climactic for the exhausted investigator. Zim's Voot became all but a blurry dot after their shouting match.

"Proud of yourself?" The A.I. took back the speaker from the cut transmission. Dib didn't even dignify a response as he flopped out of the chair and onto the floor, his backpack half-hazardly put by the base of the chair. He didn't care about anything other than the adrenaline and thrill of chasing the stupid gremlin down those alleyways.

"Incoming Transmission from: GAZ MEMBRANE." A sudden alert pushed Dib from shallow thoughts, sitting up before his impromptu webcam to accept the call. The image of Gaz flickered in, clearing as time passed, the hacked older cam Dad used to call home was what hosted the call.

"It's Friday Dib-stink." Gaz stated blatantly, but Dib couldn't respond before an image of his Dad took the screen.

"Son! Where are you? Is that the project you mentioned last dinner?" Questions piled up and Dib tried to cover himself and answer. Luckily the cam faced away from the window containing only stars.

"Uh, uh, I'm in a simulator! This is part of the tests for the project, I'll tamper the results if I just leave. The simulation has me…" Dib stuttered, nerves turning his adrenaline into anxiety and sweat, "_months_ away from home! So sorry I can't attend dinner, but uh-" Gaz pushed herself back into the image, a plate of food sending steam into her face.

"That's why he's video chatting." Gaz has saved the day, again and Dib could cry from all the anxiety shaking him. But he calmed down as Gaz stole their Dad's attention and conversed with him about his month and hers. Dib suddenly felt hungry as he watched his family eat dinner, he guessed that running after just sitting in space must have confused his calorie input/output. As Gaz and his Dad ate some sort of meal he couldn't see, Dib chowed on the most human looking food he could find from his new stash.

Gaz took up the camera, dishes clanking and a brief farewell from Dad offscreen, indicated dinner was over. Dib didn't end the call, he didn't want to and apparently Gaz didn't either.

"Can… can you turn the camera to look outside?" Gaz pipped up as she dried her hands. Dib didn't hesitate to manhandle the device to look out his windshield, he had kept a steady pace to follow Zim's trail despite his speedy escape earlier. "Whoa." Her small inhale made Dib's entire day from finding Zim and losing him again worth it. He took in the squint of Gaz's face, the small 'o' of her mouth (quickly becoming a line again) and the arch of her brows in wonder.

Something that would have taken hold of any person earlier now lodged itself in Dib's mind. He missed Earth, the faces of other people and the presence of Gaz that he had never truly been without until now. It collided with his curiosity, a flame only fed dangerously high by the sights, smells and tastes of Foodcourtia. Dib wouldn't go home, but he wouldn't forget it either.

"See you next month Gaz," Dib smiled and cut off the transmission as Gaz picked up her Game Slave again, giving her brother a small wave in return.


	5. Chapter 5: Hunting

_Sorry I dipped, things have been chaotic..._Every few weeks Dib's trail of Zim would renew, as if Zim was making sure he didn't fall behind too fast. It made the investigator uneasy, was it a trap or was the Irken just looking for a fight with him? He was too far to hack the audio transmission again, but Dib didn't think he had much to say to the twerp.

The longer he chased after Zim, the more Dib realized he hadn't planned as far ahead as he thought. Where the hell was he going to keep him captured until he returned to Earth? The Invader wouldn't be bound down for long and Dib new Zim could outlast him when it came to sleep.

"Tak, where can I find some sort of hunting supplies, or just a box big enough to stuff Zim into?"

"There should be a planet on your current path," Over their short time in space Tak's A.I. seemed to have softened up, or it just gave up on spiting Dib, "Yes, next planet you come across specializes in those things." Dib was pleased they were right on track. But a few days passed, and the planet came to view, Dib's trail of Zim seemed to veer off directly for it. _This could just be a minor supply run, maybe there's other stuff than hunting gear._ Tak's (more accurately Dib's) Voot passed a sign with the Irken Empire's emblem. _Or not._ As Dib has learned through almost 2 months in space, it was that the Irken Empire liked assigning one job per planet. If this planet was for hunting and under the empire? Then it was _only_ for hunting.

This landing was smoother than his last, Tak's advice post-chase from Foodcourtia definitely of use. Poking his head out, Dib saw that this clearing he found was empty of ship and foot traffic. Translator in and backpack on his shoulders, Dib trudged through the grassy area into a busy market.

The amount of noise on just one corner here rivaled an entire city block back on earth. Conversations overlapped into nonsense and so many faces passed that Dib realized he might not see Zim if he was there. Finally a stand with a bunch of cages caught the human's eye and he forced his way through.

"Newcomer, how can I help you?" The shop owner was a Vortain (or at least that's what Tak's data said) and her horns nestled on both sides of her head.

"Hi," Still awkward about talking to new species, Dib scanned the selection, "I'm looking for a cage that's about… 5 feet tall?" That might be a little too big, but he'll make it work.

"Oh boy, that's easy." The shop owner walked from her counter to her stacks of cages. "Force field, closed in, what are we looking for?" She gestured to examples of each as she asked, Dib following her around her stock. He thought for a moment, what's the best way to keep an Irken captive? He couldn't have a closed box because he wouldn't be able to see if Zim escapes, the material should at least be sturdy.

"I think a force field one would work," the human settled, then following the Vortain as she led him to those specific cages. She pointed to certain ones, explaining how some worked or how humane others were until Dib picked one out.

"Alrighty, that'll be…" They returned to the counter, the woman calculating price and Dib setting down the cage to grab the monies. Happily the new owner of a decently sized cage, Dib carried it back to his ship since walking around with it would be difficult; the market place was huge and full of wonders, especially the hidy-hole stores he found.

After buying a few trinkets here and there, backpack now a solid weight, Dib was going to call it a day. _Didn't Zim stop on this planet?_ He had totally forgotten he had followed Zim onto this planet, yet there was no sign of the Irken. Nerves shaken, Dib picked up the pace to get to his ship. The sun starting to descend behind the horizon, but the forest his clearing was in was already shadowy and darkening.

"Of all things to leave in the Voot," Dib grunted to himself, tripping over a root, "Why was it the flashlight?" The human threw out his hand to find anything before his face did, the vegetation was thicker than he imagined. After countless roots, a few spider(?) webs and a pair of eyes staring at him as he passed a creek, Dib saw the clearing ahead. He pushed through with careful steps, determined to just sit down in the Voot after all this.

Upon breaking through, Dib saw the sun was nearly gone by how a deep indigo ate up the sky. He had never seen night on another planet before, Foodcourtia had enough lights to forget what time of day it was in the first place. The stronger stars were visible, scattered across the blue as it ate the dying orange-red sunset. This was amazing.

"There you are you worm-baby!" Angry huffs made Dib's stomach drop, he looked at the luminescent pink staring at him. Zim was in a stance to attack, fists balled and holding his center of balance; even with his new height and built muscle from years of fighting, Dib was going to have trouble taking Zim down.

"Why were you looking for me?" _You should be looking for him, why did he hunt _you_ down?_ Dropping his bag, still a short sprint from the Voot, Dib too dropped into a fighting stance.

"That doesn't seem to be important right now," Zim began circling him, forcing more distance from escape by moving him away, "What's important is that I'm here now, and your inevitable loss." The irken warrior lunged at Dib, darkness blurring both figures, and the fight begun.

_Sorry, this one was kinda a filler but not really? More or less this is a transition chapter, the next one will be better!_

_Fond regards, Invader Hix_


End file.
